


Love is the Bond

by WowzaPigs



Category: Portal (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Post canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-02-27 17:02:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18743284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WowzaPigs/pseuds/WowzaPigs
Summary: After reaching the surface, Chell is shocked to find that it’s not the companion cube that leaves with her, but someone else altogether...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! I know the Caroline = Chell’s mother theory is popular in the fandom, but I personally think it’s bullshit given that Chell is part Japanese and Caroline and Cave are both white, so please don’t comment about that theory here. Otherwise, enjoy! This ship is slowly consuming my life ):

Chell felt her heart in her throat, beating desperately as she got closer and closer to the surface. Was this it? Was she finally free? Yet, there was a part of her that ached. She cried in that elevator, and all the grief and emotion that she’d held in so long came rushing out as huge, hot tears slid down her face. She didn’t want to leave GLaDOS, not really. But what other choice did she have? Staying miles underground, never seeing the light of day? Testing forever, alone save for GLaDOS? That was no life at all. It hurt her to think of GLaDOS all alone in the facility, but she was glad they had parted as friends. Despite GLaDOS’ harsh words towards her, the song GLaDOS had written for her had destroyed any doubt that GLaDOS cared for Chell. So when she reached the top of the elevator, she wiped her tears and stepped outside. 

She felt waves of relief crash over her as she looked up at the blue sky, as she felt the tingle of sunlight on her skin and a slight breeze flowing through her hair. She took a deep breath. The air! It was so fresh, so clean. Nothing like the air miles down in the facility. Suddenly, she head a bang behind her. Turning sharply, she saw the door to Aperture Laboratories open once more. Her heart stopped and her breath caught as she heard noises from inside. She watched as something tumbled out of the opening. She wasn’t sure what it was at first. It wasn’t anything she’d seen in the facility. It was a robot similar to the ones she’d seen with GLaDOS, but with a certain style and grace the others didn’t have. All sleek, glossy metal and long, elegant limbs. The robot trained its one yellow optic on Chell and she immediately knew. 

“I… believe this is yours,” GLaDOS said, handing Chell her portal gun. Chell’s face broke into a display of unfiltered joy.  
“GLaDOS!” She said quietly as she enveloped the robot in her arms, eyes welling up once more.  
“You spoke.” GLaDOS said, shocked.  
Chell couldn’t stop the tears.  
“It’s all over. It’s all over, GLaDOS. I’m not your test subject. We’re not enemies. We’re equals.”  
Despite herself, GLaDOS couldn’t help but withdraw slightly, quipping, “I don’t know about that.”  
Somehow that just made Chell’s smile wider. GLaDOS was quite shaken by the uncharacteristic display of emotion from the other woman. She hadn’t expected this response. She would have sooner predicted Chell killing her again, honestly. But maybe that was only because that was a habit with them. What’s a couple of murder attempts between friends? Chell never failed to surprise GLaDOS.  
“What made you change your mind?” Chell asked. GLaDOS said nothing for a few seconds. She really didn’t want to answer that question.  
“I…” her voice faltered. Hard to summon the words. “I don’t know.”  
Chell smiled.  
“I’m glad you did.”  
“Only because you wouldn’t last ten minutes up here without me.” GLaDOS said dismissively. An obviously untrue remark that had the effect of lightening the mood significantly.

Chell laughed and began walking.  
“Hey, where are you going?” GLaDOS scrambled to catch up with her, still feeling awkward in her new body. Chell shrugged, not bothering to slow down. Only wheat as far as the eye could see. So as far as Chell was concerned, she was going anywhere that wasn’t a wheatfield. She also wanted to put as much distance as she could between herself and Aperture Laboratories. If she knew one thing, she knew she was never going back to that place.  
“Oh, giving me the silent treatment again, are you?” GLaDOS said, to no response. “Fine. I guess we’ll just walk in silence, then. You’re good at that.” Chell smiled to herself. GLaDOS may not be her enemy anymore, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t still count on the robot for witty remarks. That much hadn’t changed. 

They walked in silence for awhile, before the edge of the field began to come into view.  
“So,” GLaDOS remarked, “Do you have a plan, or were you just planning to wander around until you die of dehydration?”  
Chell shrugged, and began running to the edge of the field. GLaDOS had to hurry to keep up with her, especially as she was so fit. As a robot, she couldn’t run out of breath, but it still used up more power than normal, and so the effect of tiredness still applied. In making herself a more compact and mobile form, she had sacrificed much of her power. It was more than the potato, at least, but she still noticed the difference. As they reached the end of the field, Chell noticed a house. It seemed to be on the edge of a small town, but a little ways away from most of the other buildings. However, as they approached, they could see how the building’s weight sagged; how the walls crumbled and the ceiling had holes in it. It was obvious that nobody had lived here for a very long time. The door was stuck, but Chell easily kicked in the rotting frame, making her way into the overgrown house. The sun was sinking towards the horizon, and it wouldn’t be wise to be outside during the night. GLaDOS reluctantly followed her inside, making small noises of contempt at the grime covering the floorboards. Chell smiled in amusement.  
“You’re so fussy. It’s just dirt. It’s not going to hurt you.”  
“Well I’m sorry I value cleanliness, unlike you.”  
Chell rolled her eyes.  
“You were pretty dirty last time I saw you.”  
“What, the time I was forcibly put into a potato by the core you plugged into my mainframe, or the time you killed me and I lay inactive for centuries?”  
“Point taken.”  
Chell sat down on the floor, making herself as comfortable as she could be. GLaDOS simply stood where she was, refusing to sit down on the dirty floor.

It was then that Chell noticed it for the first time. On GLaDOS’ arm. A pink heart, framed by a grey circle. It reminded Chell of…  
“GLaDOS, what’s that?” She pointed to the marking. GLaDOS turned away, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.  
“Oh, that?” She scoffed derisively. “Nothing. Nothing you’d care about.”  
Chell was silent for a few seconds.  
“That wasn’t an attack, you know. It was just a question.”  
“Oh yes, because I have absolutely no reason to believe you would ever attack me.”  
Chell sighed.  
“Did you really delete Caroline?”  
The question hit GLaDOS like a punch in the stomach. She should have seen it coming, she supposed. Another stretch of silence passed between them.  
“Yes.”  
Chell looked surprised, and like she was trying to hide disappointment.  
“But then I discovered that it was more complicated than that. I thought getting rid of Caroline would erase this nagging voice in the back of my head, telling me to go after you.”  
Chell’s breath caught in her throat.  
“It didn’t.” She said breathlessly.  
“Right,” GLaDOS acknowledged. “I don’t have any of her memories or feelings anymore. But something about remembering her changed me, Chell. I really thought I’d fixed the problem.”  
Chell stared at her hands.  
“Maybe it’s not a problem.”  
“What are you talking about?”  
Chell didn’t say anything else. GLaDOS didn’t dare ask again. Chell patted the floor next to her, motioning for the robot to sit. She hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly sat next to Chell.  
“GLaDOS, don’t ever leave again, okay?”  
She rested her head on GLaDOS’ shoulder, and the robot found herself strangely unwilling to shake her off.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one’s a bit shorter but... Gay Rights!

”Chell. Wake up, Chell. Chell. Chell.”  
Chell blinked wearily and rubbed her eyes.  
”Oh good, you’re finally awake.”  
Chell groaned in annoyance as GLaDOS impatiently tapped her foot.   
”Chell, we need to go.”  
Chell slumped back onto herself, ignoring GLaDOS.  
”Haven’t you had enough sleep for one lifetime? I know I have. Are you listening to me?”  
Chell shook her head, prompting GLaDOS to let out a huff of annoyance.  
“Fine. Suit yourself. I’m going to go outside and…” GLaDOS’ voice trailed off as she reached the door. Chell lifted her head up, and cocked it to the side in a questioning manner. GLaDOS said nothing, but Chell started hearing the whirring of fans from within her machinery as she stared out of the window.  
“What?” Chell prompted.  
“Nothing. Maybe you should mind your own business.” The slightly hysterical lilt to her voice gave away her emotion, though. What had possibly gotten her so worked up? Chell’s curiosity got the better of her, and she stood up, walking over to where GLaDOS stood.  
“Hey, weren’t you ‘tired’ or something a moment ago? Just lay down again. They’ll go away... eventually.”   
Chell smiled, and peered out from behind the door frame. A small flock of birds had perched outside the door, blocking GLaDOS’ path.  
“Nasty creatures.” GLaDOS muttered angrily, staring down the birds. Chell mulled over this for a moment. GLaDOS was very afraid of birds. As unflappable as she liked to think she was, Chell had seen her at her lowest. This was a reminder of that, of a time where GLaDOS had relied on Chell, had been forced to be vulnerable.

Chell stepped forward, scaring off the offending avians.   
“It’s okay to ask for help, you know.”  
GLaDOS scoffed, but her voice wavered with uncertainty.  
“Well, I’m up,” Chell said, “let’s go. I’m starving.”  
“Right. Your human energy consumption is so inefficient. Seriously, I’m surprised you humans made it this far. That’s what you get when the only creator you have is the uncaring hand of fate.”  
Chell rolled her eyes.  
“Shut up. Let’s go get some cake.”  
“You make a compelling argument,” GLaDOS said sarcastically. But Chell was already moving towards some buildings in the distance.  
“Do you know…” Chell trailed off, her face hardening.  
“Know what?” GLaDOS pushed.  
“How many humans are there? Did something horrible happen while I was asleep?”  
“Well… kind of.” GLaDOS said. “You’re not extinct, if that’s what you’re wondering. You humans are like cockroaches. Impossible to kill.”  
“Thanks.”  
“You’re not good at sarcasm.”   
“That wasn’t sarcasm.” Chell said, and hugged GLaDOS. She had nothing to say about that.

The city was empty, a shell of where humanity had once been thriving. But in its place, plantlife sprung forth, seeping into the cracks of broken-down buildings and growing up from beneath the concrete. It reminded Chell of Aperture’s broken down chambers, a thought that made her uneasy. I’m never going back to that hellhole, she reminded herself as she sidestepped a particularly large root. It wasn't long before she found a convenience store. She was strong enough to pry open the automatic doors, and pretty much everything there was free for the taking. Sure, most of it was bad, but there were always non-perishables. Looks like I’ll be eating tomato soup for a while, Chell thought to herself.  
“I guess the cake really was a lie.” Chell mused to herself, taking several cans off the shelf and finding a small pocket knife to open them with. Hey, this thing could come in handy.

Sitting on the floor, she motioned for GLaDOS to sit across from her.  
“So, what do you want to do now? We have the whole world to explore. It could be a good life. But it’s what we make it. So, what’s the plan, GLaDOS?”  
A small silence stretches between them. Chell opens her can, giving GLaDOS time to think.  
“I think,” GLaDOS pauses, as if she’s struggling to find words, “I think if it’s with you, just being up here together doesn’t seem so bad. No matter what we do. We deserve to relax, I think. No more danger of blowing up, no more murder. I think that would be alright.”  
It was a bit of a non-committal answer, but it seemed to satisfy Chell.   
“Yeah. No more murder.” She smiles.  
“Yes, I’m referring to when you tried to kill me twice, you lunatic.”  
“Good memories.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feed me comments and I’ll post another chapter. It’s like a vending machine, except instead of soda I produce gay fluff.


	3. Chapter 3

After Chell’s makeshift breakfast, she stuck a few more cans and the pocketknife into a reusable bag by the counter and they left the store together. Chell decided their next order of business would be to find the least broken-down dwelling possible. Chell made good use of her portal gun, portaling up to high apartments she couldn’t reach or to distant buildings she couldn’t be bothered walking to. Most of the places they found were broken down and full of mould, though. GLaDOS didn’t seem happy with this.  
“I don’t know what kind of quality of life we can have here. We don’t have much to work with.”  
“It’s okay,” Chell replied, “I’m just glad we’re out of Aperture.”  
“Yes… out of Aperture.” This immediately got Chell’s full attention.  
“GLaDOS, is there something you’re not telling me?”  
“Well, it’s not like I ever left. I just… made another body and copied my conscience into it. It was the reasonable solution. Yes, this is nice, but I still have one passion in life: science.”  
“Uh huh. So you’re definitely motivated by passion, then, and not testing euphoria.”  
“I told you, that fades over time. Test withdrawal? Remember Wheatley? Because that was yesterday. Maybe he was right about you being brain damaged.”  
“Defensive.” Chell noted.  
“Only when I’m being attacked.”  
“Is it too much to suggest that a clever bot like you might be able to override that?”   
GLaDOS scoffed. “Well, it’s not like I have access to my own code.”  
“You deleted Caroline just fine.”  
“Anyways, that’s what I did while you were asleep. I was syncing up the memories between the two seperate locations.”  
“Are you sure that’s… okay?”  
“What are you talking about?”  
“I don’t know. Guess I was projecting my own hatred for that place onto you. I figured after everything, that place had hurt you as much as it hurt me. Guess I was wrong.” Chell smiled unhappily and portaled up another broken-down stairway, sidestepping rubble.   
“I was hurt there, sure. But the people who did that are gone. The place itself is nothing to fear.”  
Chell remained silent, her stoic face not revealing any emotion that GLaDOS could interpret. After a long time, she finally spoke.  
“It’s just hard not to still be bitter about everything that happened. It’s easier if I think about it being Aperture that did it, not you. Because when Wheatley got into power, everything changed. I went from hating you to understanding you. I know you never would have done any of the things you did if you weren’t attached to that mainframe, and it made me realise there was more to you than what meets the eye. So that’s why it’s disconcerting to realise that you’re still in control of Aperture.”  
After the uncharacteristic speech, Chell sighed. GLaDOS stepped closer to Chell.  
“I don’t want to hurt you anymore.”  
Chell frowned and said nothing.  
“Chell. I’m…” Chell looked GLaDOS directly in her optic, waiting for her to finish her sentence. Everything was quiet except for the whirring of GLaDOS’ inner workings as she struggled to say two little words:  
“I’m sorry.”  
Chell was caught off-guard. Tears threatened to fall as she pulled the robot towards her in a warm embrace.  
“I love you, GLaDOS.”  
“I…” GLaDOS trailed off once more.  
“You don’t have to say it back, though. Thank you for apologizing, I think I needed to hear that.”  
Chell opened the door of another apartment, higher up. The place was dusty, but it had intact windows that let the light stream down, lighting up the room, and minimal mould. It was even furnished, albeit with rotting furniture.   
“Honestly, I think you’d be better off sleeping in the woods.” Chell smiled as she walked around the home.  
“It seems fine to me. Could use with a bit of redecorating. I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”  
She fired a blue portal onto an empty wall.  
“We can leave this here when we go out so we’ll never get lost. The world is ours, GLaDOS. We just have to take it.”  
“You’re oddly positive about all this,” GLaDOS noted.  
“Well, you know me. I never give up.”  
“Yes, I’ve become alarmingly intimate with that fact.”  
Chell put the cans of food she had taken onto the counter, stacking them up in neat rows. Her stomach rumbles, and she frowns. It would be nice to eat something warm. Too bad the stove in this place likely stopped working centuries ago. But people didn’t always have stoves…  
“Hey, we should make a fire.”  
“What, you want to burn the house down? Wasn’t killing me in a fire one time enough for you?”  
“You’re so difficult. I meant an outdoors fire, obviously. It’ll be nice to be warmer, and I can heat up this food. It’s been forever since I had a hot meal.” Chell was practically drooling at the thought. Even the gross, decades-old canned food would surely taste better heated. It would be even better if she could find something fresh to eat.  
“All right,” GLaDOS conceded, “I’ll help you make it.”

By the time they had gathered all the firewood, the sun was already lowering towards the skyline, dangerously close to setting.  
“We’d better find a place to make this fire. And. Figure out how we’re going to do it, I guess. It’s not like we have a lighter.” Chell mused.  
“I can teach you.” GLaDOS replied.  
“How do you know how to start fires?”  
“Chell, I’m an operating system with access to the entire database of human knowledge, plus a lifetime’s worth of memories of lived experience. I know how to start a fire.”

The tomato soup was definitely better cooked. It was hard to eat when the metal can was so hot, so Chell had left it to cool next to the fire. She was sitting near it, warming her hands in the heat of the flames. The soft light made her skin glow in a way only accentuated by her content smile. Looking at her like this, GLaDOS felt… something stirring within her, just below the surface.   
“You know, before I met you, I didn’t believe in love.”  
Chell cocked her head questioningly, surprised by such a bold statement from GLaDOS.  
“I’m serious. I thought it was just a chemical humans produced to increase their chances of reproduction. So, I didn’t care about it… until I remembered who I- until I remembered Caroline, that is. And maybe it is still just a chemical. I don’t know anymore.”  
Chell smiled. Despite the robot’s superior attitude, she was quite naive when it came to navigating human emotions.  
“Love isn’t a chemical. Love is something you build. Love isn’t the feeling, love is the bond.”  
GLaDOS lowered her optic to the floor and spoke in measured syllables.  
“Chell… I. Love. You.”  
“I know you do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is probably the last chapter. I love Chelldos, and it was fun working on this fic, but I also have many other things I need to work on, especially my original novels. So this is where I’ll leave this story for now.
> 
> Valve, consider your game ending fixed.
> 
> Also I’m slightly woozy on pain medicine while writing this note so it may not be coherent lmaooo forgive me


End file.
